Posted on: Friday, October 19, 2007
Get the inside scoop on this year's film fest
By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer
Everything else you need to know about the Louis Vuitton Hawaii International Festival, now under way:
Best place to see visiting VIPs: HIFF Cafe, at the second-floor ballroom, in the Dole Cannery facility. It's a place to rest, get pre- or post-show snacks, and mingle — and a likely hang out for visiting notables. It adjoins the hospitality lounge, where VIPs will gather. Cafe Chats, held at 4 p.m. daily beginning Saturday, will be informal, informative sessions with film pros.
Best bang for the buck: The lone double-bill of Wayne Wang films — "A Thousand Years of Good Prayers" and "Princess of Nebraska" — at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Hawai'i Theatre. One $15 admission gives you two movies.
Added attractions: Alison Eastwood, daughter of Clint, has been added to the festival roster. She directed "Rails and Ties" (6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Regal Dole). Also coming: Richard Lewis, the producer of "August Rush," the closing night feature.
Very Important Participants: Along with atress Joan Chen will be a slew of other name attendees, such as hallyu favorite Ju Jun Mo and director Kwak Kyung Taek, who will highlight their "A Love" screening (7 p.m. Wednesday). Other movie-industry people will be behind the scenes as jurors, like Daniel Dae Kim of "Lost"; Janet Yang, a partner with Oliver Stone in their new company, Ixtlan; and local filmmaker Edgy Lee.
One out, one in: "The Buffy Musical: Once More With Singing," originally set for 9 p.m. Wednesday (as printed in the HIFF program guide) at Dole, has been yanked and subbed with "Grace is Gone," an indie film with John Cusack about the impact of the Iraq war on the American home front. Cusack plays a patriot and dad of two girls who learns his wife has died in combat.
Orchids times two: HIFF's big prize is the Halekulani Golden Orchid Awards, bestowed on the best feature and documentary films. The six feature contenders: "Blind Mountain" ("Mang Shan"), 8 p.m. today and 4:15 p.m. Wednesday at Dole; "The Drummer" ("Gu Zhan"), 8 p.m. Tuesday and 9:30 p.m. Wednesday at Dole; "A Love Song" ("Sarong"), 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Hawai'i Theatre; "Foster Child," 1:30 p.m. Sunday and noon Monday at Dole; "The Home Song Stories," 7 p.m. Sunday at Hawai'i Theatre; and "May 18" ("Hwaryeohan Hyuga"), 8 p.m. today at Hawai'i and 9 p.m. Saturday at Dole. The five docs in the running: "Beautiful Son" by Hawai'i cinematographer Don King, 6 p.m. today and noon Wednesday at Dole; "Doctor" ("Yi-Sheng"), 1:15 p.m. Saturday and 7:15 p.m. Monday at Dole; "Feet Unbound," 6 p.m. Saturday and noon Sunday at Dole; "Invisible City" ("Beiwanglu"), 3:30 p.m. Sunday and 1 p.m. Oct. 26 at Dole; and "Kalaupapa Heaven," at 6 p.m. Monday at Dole.
Hop, skip and jump (rope): In connection with the documentary film "Jump!," Bank of Hawaii will offer jump-roping demos conducted by competitors in the film, at 2:30 p.m. Oct. 27 at the Dole Cannery ballroom. Kids and kids at heart can learn the basics and such challenges as the double dutch.
Making demands: Oceanic Time Warner subscribers can support Hawai'i filmmakers by voting for their favorite Isle-made short, via NGN-on-Demand (Channel 680). Residents can watch shorts and vote. The title that earns the most votes will receive a $1,000 prize at the HIFF awards fest.
The envelope, please: Looking ahead, HIFF will again participate in Oscar Night America, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences' live-as-it's-happening gala on Academy Awards night, Feb. 24.
Festivities start at 4 p.m. at the Halekulani hotel. Cost: $225 ($200 for HIFF members). It's black-tie optional, and you get to see who wins what before the TV viewers here. For information, contact Kimi Matar at kimi@hiff.org.
Reach Wayne Harada at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com.
